When they?re done right It?s a conversation I had with a friend recently that prompts the topic for this weeks blog. My friend, we?ll call him James, is on the verge of quitting his job. He?s not bored or uninterested in what he?s doing, he loves the idea that what he does genuinely makes a difference in peoples? lives. He …

Advice advice ? Part II? Through every big change in my life I?ve been given advice from people who care and want to see me succeed. And I have always accepted their advice with openness and belief that it was right for me?even when perhaps it wasn?t! When I was backpacking around the UK in my early twenties I was …

Advice advice ? Part I After spending a large part of my working life in banking I?m always nervous about using the term ?advice?. For a banker, giving advice is only allowed after training and accreditation and then it must occur within strict parameters ? anything outside of these is considered a serious breach. Yet, in the leadership space, when …

Outside of my own life experiences, I only understood the importance of being resilient when I became a mentor in the Juno Adaptive Leaders Program. The program partners working professionals with unemployed or disadvantaged community members for a twelve-week period with the objective of getting them back into sustainable employment. If you go with the definition that leadership is the …

My first leadership role in a corporate environment was in a contact centre. From the minute the phone lines opened in the morning, through to closing off in the evening, it was manic. If I wasn?t really disciplined at prioritising my work I could spend the whole day fighting fires and have zero time to work on improving the business. …

I had a conversation this week with a leader who, when I asked how work was going, said things were ?unusually quiet which is concerning?. It reminded me of the pressure many leaders face when trying to keep their people busy during quiet times. It?s not unlike the pressure we feel when it?s crazy-busy and we don?t have time to …

I?m assuming that a large number of you reading this blog right now are on annual leave and quite possibly recovering from the post-Christmas hangover that comes with over indulgence. So, I?ll keep it light-hearted and avoid putting too much strain on your brain. This week?s topic is typical of the ?end-of-year? theme and is about reflection and happiness. Now …

How awesome is it when you?re tapped on the shoulder for a role? Even if it?s not a role you want, it?s pretty awesome to be considered for it. So what?s the secret? How is it that some people get tapped on the shoulder for role after role and others get crickets, that is, just the noise of crickets, nothing …

By now I?m sure you?re familiar with leadership expert, Simon Sinek, and his popular TED Talk about how great leaders inspire action. Simon talks about the golden circle with WHY being at the very centre. He says people don?t buy the ?what? or the ?how?, they buy the ?why?. It?s a brilliantly simple way of understanding what influences the decisions …

Have you ever said or done something that you?ve immediately regretted? In your head it seemed ok, your intention was positive but it came out all wrong and had a negative impact. And when this happened did you? Try turning it into a joke ? a really, really, bad joke Start rambling ? and try to justify your actions Continue …